On The Other Side
by mooncroww
Summary: Important moments aren't always shared with those we love. There is no promise we'll like the person we share eternity with. NOT SLASH.


On The Other Side

A/N I should be forbidden from listening to country music. It results in the strangest stories. I don't know exactly what's going on here, though I've got a vague idea. There could be more to it someday. But not until GT is finished. I'm nearly done with the latest chapter. Just have to find the time to sit and write it out.

Disclaimer- I own nothing. I don't even think I'm wearing my own underwear.

* * *

The situation struck him as funny. He had every reason to weep or gnash his teeth and howl with anger, yet Harry Potter had the overwhelming urge to laugh. Desperately he tried to repress this inappropriate impulse, but a few giggles escaped. The taste of blood turned them into a wet choking sound.

"I don't see what's so bloody funny." Draco whispered, pressing the already blood-soaked cloak to his chest.

"No," The other man replied weakly, "I don't suppose you would."

Tendrils of smoke curled around them, or perhaps his sight was failing. Whichever, he found the soft wisps fascinating and followed them with his eyes. They were lovely. In fact, they might have been the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Would you hold still? I think I've stopped the bleeding." Draco said, wiping a drop of sweat from his forehead.

"Or perhaps I've run out of blood." The laughter came again and this time he made no effort to stop it.

"Don't laugh like that."

"Would you rather I stopped breathing?"

There came no answer, just a steady grey gaze.

"As I thought."

Somewhere to his right a fire burned. He vaguely remembered the spark that had started the unnatural blaze. His wand was still warm in his hand, pulsing with a power that would never be released.

"We won." Somehow the words seemed empty.

"Yes."

"It's a bit cold out here."

"Yes."

A tingling began in Harry's fingertips. It occurred to him that he might no longer have fingers and that perhaps he felt the nerves dying. If closed his eyes he could still see the explosion of light that had burst from his wand. It consumed him, burning his body to the bone, setting every cell on fire.

"Do you think we'll meet again?" Harry asked quietly.

"I bloody well hope not." Draco replied.

"I mean after this… after this life?"

"Don't get all misty on me now, the others will be coming. It would have been hard for them to miss your little tantrum."

Harry laughed again, but weakly now.

"I told you to stop that laughing." Draco said angrily.

"It's just I find it," He stopped to catch his breath, "so amusing that you would be here. That you would be the last person…"

"Shut up."

"I don't like you." Harry managed.

"The feeling is mutual… I think someone is coming… OVER HERE!"

The shout hurt Harry's ears, but he could not move his arms to cover them. He could barely pull in the air to breathe. The copper taste of blood flooded his mouth and he coughed away his last moments of consciousness.

* * *

He woke a week later in the hospital, alone. A vase of flowers bloomed by his bed; someone had been visiting. Part of him was glad to have been sleeping when they stopped by,he would not have made good company.A sharp pain ran the length of his body and he tried to see where it had come from. A large bandage was wrapped about his chest and a dark blue substance covered his hands, both of which maintained a full set of fingers.

"About time you woke up." A familiar voice said.

Harry looked up and smiled as Ron stepped through the doorway.

"You look well." He grimaced in pain.

"You don't."

"I don't feel very well, either."

"You shouldn't. Those were some nasty burns, not to mention the gaping hole in your chest. You were just lucky Malfoy was there."

"Never thought I'd hear you say something like that."

"Neither did I, but it's true." Ron admitted.

"You seem to have come through unharmed."

"Nearly, MacNair caught me across the chest." The red haired man lifted his shirt, revealing a long pink scar that reached from his right shoulder to below his belt.

"Rotten luck, that." Harry smiled wanly.

"It stung a bit. Hermione about had a fit when she saw."

"I'll bet."

"She doesn't have room to talk, I watched her take Lucius Malfoy to the ground."

"Were there any…" He couldn't seem to finish the question, the answer weighed too heavily on his mind.

"Yeah. Snape. But you already knew that."

Harry nodded, remembering the flare of green light that had struck the older man in the chest as Draco frantically tried to keep the binding spell from collapsing.

"Dean and Seamus. You know how they are. Neither will go where the other won't follow. Dean went and Seamus followed, right into the thick of it. I don't know who was responsible. Not that it matters." Ron clenched his jaw tightly as though attempting to hide a great deal of anger.

"Any others?" He needed to know; somehow it seemed necessary.

"Luna is in critical condition, they still aren't sure if she's going to pull through."

"And Neville?"

"Hasn't left her side for a second, not even to let them heal his broken arm. It's still in the sling he used on the battlefield. He's driving the nurses crazy, but he simply won't budge."

"And Ginny?"

"The flowers are from her. She took a blow to the head, but recovered quickly enough. You know Ginny."

"And the rest?"

"All accounted for. There were other casualties, but I don't know their names."

"Could I… could I rest for a bit?" Harry asked quietly.

"Oh, of course. I'll run down and check on Luna."

Harry didn't hear him leave. He couldn't hear anything but the racing of his own pulse. In his heart he knew that it could have been worse. The binding might not have held, Ron or Hermione might have been killed, Ginny… he refused to think of anything bad happening to Ginny. Things were bad enough, almost too much for him to bear.

"Stop your sniffling." A harsh voice said from the doorway.

"Draco."

"Potter."

"Didn't expect to see you here."

"Didn't expect to come."

Harry waited a moment longer, "Then what are you doing?"

"I put a good deal of effort into keeping you alive, thought I'd make sure it was worth it."

They stared at each other for a few minutes.

"You never answered my question." Harry finally broke the silence.

"What question?"

He sighed, "About seeing each other again."

"I didn't answer because it was a stupid question."

"I was dying. Humor me."

Draco rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, "Yes. We will."

"How can you be sure?"

"If there is another side to this life, and I'm almost sure there is, I will most likely be doomed to spend eternity floating on the same golden cloud as you. That is, if my current run of luck holds true." Draco explained in an resigned tone.

"Will we meet again in this life?" Harry asked smirking a little.

"Not if I can help it."

A few short laughs brought on a coughing fit that reached deep into his chest.

"You really shouldn't laugh like that."

Draco turned to leave but smiled as he did so.

"See you on the other side." Harry called as the door shut.


End file.
